Spider-Man Spin-off Morbius Releasing Sooner Than Expected Overseas

Sony's Spider-Man Universe is set to receive another installment with 2022's Morbius. Set in the same world as both of the studios' Venom movies, Morbius stars Jared Leto as Dr. Michael Morbius, an ailing man who attempts to cure his own rare blood disease but ends up transforming himself into a living vampire. This process imbues Morbius with the superhuman abilities normally associated with nightwalkers themselves.

The film has been a particularly long time coming, even more so than most in recent years. Production wrapped on the Spider-Man spinoff all the way back in Summer 2019 but was continually delayed by complications due to the pandemic. In fact, Morbius was ready to hit theaters during the month of January 2022 but has now landed squarely on April 1 as its final release date for much of the globe.

Now, it appears that part of the world will be getting the new spin-off slightly earlier.

Morbius Takes A Bite Out of Late March

According to Cinescape, a Kuwait-based cinema chain, Morbius will open one week earlier in the Middle East than the rest of the world. For that region, the film's new release date is March 24, 2022.

What Could Be The Reason For Morbius' Release Date Bump?

The fact that Sony's Morbius was moved up a week in the Middle East could very well mean that other markets will follow suit. But why was the release date brought forward?

It's difficult to say without being a fly on the wall in Sony's boardrooms. Perhaps they want to see how international audiences react to the film and adjust the marketing for the United States release a week later. After all, if there's buzz surrounding certain portions of Morbius, then Sony will likely wish to capitalize on that.

It's also worth pointing out that as far as Morbius buzz goes, that particular beehive's still sounding pretty quiet. Granted, the marketing campaign hasn't nearly kicked in yet, but audiences just don't seem incredibly keen on plunking down ticket fees and sitting for almost two hours for this movie. That could very well change between now and release, however. Perhaps Sony has a sleeper hit on their hands?

As mentioned above and barring any more unforeseen delays, Sony's Morbius will hit theaters in some markets on March 24, 2022 and everywhere starting April 1.